pinholes in 7018

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so today was my first time running 7018. i tried some 1/8 and some 3/32 but i kept getting pinholes.....can someone please tell me what the cause of this is......i was running them at about 110-120 amps. is that to high? Attached Images
Reply:Clean your metal!I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Too long of arc?Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:1/8" 7018 in the 110-120 amp range is on the lower end of the suggested settings that I have. For 3/32" 7018 it would be a bit on the high side, but still in  the acceptable range for some that I have listed.Old rod, poor prep and dirty material, long arc... all could be the problem. It's hard to really see the beads well enough to give any real answers. Over all from what I can see, the beads are better than what I usually see from a new guy trying to run 7018..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:i will get some better pics tommrrow and the arc was definatly not to long the dirty materiel is definatly a possibilty and i am not sure how old the rods are i just bought them last night form the home depot. they are lincoln rods
Reply:Originally Posted by codymo41i will get some better pics tommrrow and the arc was definatly not to long the dirty materiel is definatly a possibilty and i am not sure how old the rods are i just bought them last night form the home depot. they are lincoln rods
Reply:Pinholes like that in 7018 are almost always caused by welding with too long of an arc, thus you get loss of shielding which causes pinholes (porosity). Keep the tip of the rod buried in the puddle when welding with 7018, esp when new.This is a common problem when welding with 7018.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:The metal looks dirty to me.  It's kind of hard to tell from the picture.  Take your grinder and make everything shiny metal, then weld again.  I'd bet the pinholes won't happen on the shiny metal.Dynasty200DX w/coolmate1MM210MM VintageESAB miniarc161ltsLincoln AC225Victor O/A, Smith AW1ACutmaster 81IR 2475N7.5FPRage3Jancy USA1019" SBAEAD-200LE
Reply:I'm almost sure its the rust/paint. Rust is incredibly hard to burn at normal 1/8 temp. I normally run mine high. Like 135 to sometimes 145 high but I turn it to bout 115 when running vert. The extra heat helps burn out the impurities. Your heat is good on clean steel. Almost everyone I know runs theirs between 110-125 and they never change it. I like it hot. To each is own. Clean the steel and try again. Play with the temp. Crank it up then turn it down. Keep trying. You will find your sweet spot. Thanks for reading!
Reply:1/8 7018 i run on 150 amps with dc rev polarity flat position on clean material. keep a tight arc.i.u.o.e. # 15queens, ny and sunny fla
Reply:So you're running 7018AC if you bought it at the Cheapo Depot.Are you running AC or DC?After all of the above correct advice and if you are running on DC, get some Excalibur 7018 at a LWS for learning.  It's a different animal where you can actually see the puddle and the flux running off of it instead of one runny mess.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:dc+ i have very strict weld procedures to follow for a competiton at tulsa welding school.
Reply:Clean the metal and work hard at keeping the arc short.  Watch the puddle and the tip of the rod - it can be tough to get the technique right, feeding rod into the puddle while moving in the direction of the weld.  When I self taught with SMAW I found myself forgetting to feed rod fast enough to avoid long arcing.Hobart LX235Victor 250 Oxy-Acetylene Rig (welding and cutting)Bobcat 773F-350, 1999, 4x4, 16' 10K# trailerOutdoor Wood Burner - 10 cords/year
Reply:Originally Posted by codymo41dc+ i have very strict weld procedures to follow for a competiton at tulsa welding school.
Reply:Originally Posted by Drf255No pro here, but trust me.Go buy a can of Lincoln Excalibur or borrow a few sticks.   The 7018AC rod is designed differently.  When you run Excalibur you will get he "Aha" moment of seeing the puddle and seeing the slag pushed away.   With he AC rod, you see almost no puddle on DC, just a huge mess of slag following the arc.Just try it once, see what you think.
Reply:Forget about welding with AC current.Concentrate on keeping your arc short and keeping a consistent electrode angle (stinger slightly leaned in direction of travel).If your metal is relatively clean, your porosity issues will be gone.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:Originally Posted by snoeproeForget about welding with AC current.Concentrate on keeping your arc short and keeping a consistent electrode angle (stinger slightly leaned in direction of travel).If your metal is relatively clean, your porosity issues will be gone.
Reply:If you have DC rods, run them DC.  AC rods are designed to run on AC, and will have a flux coating to "even" out the arc.Your amperage is fine, just the arc is too long.  Stick it down into the metal, and feel it drag on the steel.  This is actually the unburnt flux riding on the metal.Stay ahead, or just on the leading edge of the puddle, and let it wash back into the puddle with the force of the arc.  Don't go back into the puddle for any reason if possible.7018 is a fill freeze rod.  Dig a trench in the metal, and let the filler material fill the trench.  You'll see this as you weld.  Watch out that you dont leave unfilled undercut."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Oh yeah3/23 about 100-110amps1/8 about 125-135amps"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Hey there. I didn't read that you were or were not using AC, but I'm sure you are using it. In my experience welding with7018 AC, using AC didn't make those pin holes go away completely, but the rod did weld alot better, with the occasional pin hole. I bought a sleeve once before I got my dc welder, I wont buy those again. I think for the time being use the rod the way it was designed to be used, with the amperage that gives YOU the best results. Oh! BTW a tip I just remembered. I read somewhere at some time, that while welding with AC the amperages are usually up to 15% higher than when using DC.Nothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.